You'll Always be in My Heart
by Morning Glory Conlon
Summary: Gem and Jack are the best of friends. They know each other inside and out. Jack has one favor from the governor and wants to make Gem's dream come true, but a tragedy strikes. Will her dream ever happen?
1. Dreams Come True

You'll always be in My Heart

 The pale blue sky began to wash over with vivid pink and oranges. The stars slowly began to awaken from their daylong nap. The city was unusually peaceful for this time of day. Something happened that day which would change many lives forever and affect some momentarily, but every one would remember this day for the rest of their lives. The catastrophe had been so great it caused many to lose their lives, but the ones who were affected the most were the newsies….

…. Jack walked down the street with Gem.  He glanced over at her every few seconds hoping to catch her beautiful emerald green eyes. Jack grew more nervous by the moment walking down the street with her. He really liked Gem; she wasn't like the other girls. She had a certain flare about her something he couldn't place his finger on. Gem knew all the right things to make Jack smile when he was down, she knew what he liked and didn't like. 

Jack knew Gem inside and out, he knew that dancing was her favorite thing to do. He also knew that she wanted to become a singer and perform at Carnegie Hall. Jack could go on for hours listing everything he knew about her, like her favorite color, book, time of day, and much loved place to think. 

Every one in the lodging house knew the two got a long well. They spent hours on end talking to each other getting to know each other well ever since he brought her to the lodging house. Most of the people at the lodging house said they were meant to be together, soul mates.

Jack couldn't think of what to say to her. He ran a hand through his hair. Jack hoped that Gem liked the surprise he had planned for her. After the strike Teddy Roosevelt told Jack if there was anything he could do for him to let him know. Jack was cashing that in favor. Jack ruffled Gem's long black silky hair hoping to get her to start up the conversation, "Was that really necessary?" She asked him as she fixed her hair. Gem tried to look mad at him, but a smirk danced across her lips. Jack smirked back and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Yes, it was necessary." He said to her rubbing her shoulder softly. Jack liked the feeling of having Gem close to him. He didn't know what he would do with his life if he hadn't found her. They neared the building and Jack stopped her suddenly.

"What?" She asked looking around to see what was going on. Gem thought that Jack had spotted Snyder or the Delanceys.

"Close your eyes." Jack said to her with a smirk on his face. Gem looked at him hesitantly, "Come on just do it." He insisted. 

Gem saw he wasn't going to give up, "Alright." She said to him. Gem closed her eyes, "You aren't going to walk me into any walls or people are you?" Gem stood there with her eyes closed. Jack didn't answer her. He thought he would play with her a bit, "Jack?" Gem called, "Jack this isn't funny." She opened her eyes and spun around to see Jack still standing behind her laughing now, "That wasn't funny Jack Kelly." She playfully hit him on the arm.

"Alright, Alright close your eyes now." He said to her as he stopped laughing. Gem crossed her arms and looked at him not amused like he was, "Come on this time I promise not to do that. I got a surprise for you." 

"Oh, alright, but you do it again and I am not talking to you for the rest of your life and mine." Gem closed her eyes again and put her hand out for Jack to take it.

Jack took her hand and then put one hand over her eyes, "Can't have you peaking." Gem took her other hand and wrapped it around Jack's arm so she wouldn't fall or hit into people. They walked about a block and Jack stopped her again.

"Are we there?" She asked him. Jack took his hand away from her eyes; only he kept Gem's hand in his. Gem slowly opened her eyes and looked at the building in front of them. She looked back at Jack, "Jack, why are we here?" Gem looked back at the building that read Carnegie Hall on it.

"Well you're a singer aren't you?" Jack asked looking down at her with a smile, "Where else would a singer sing?" 

"But…Jack…uh…how?" Gem wasn't sure if this was a joke or if it was for real, "Only the best sing here and I am not…"

Jack shook his head, "You are the best and tonight, you are going to get to show every one you are. I used my favor to get you to sing here so don't say you can't or won't."

Gem was speechless. She smiled up at Jack with tears in her eyes. No one had ever done anything nice for her ever, especially nothing like this. It took a special guy to pull something off like this, "Of course I will sing there tonight…. just for you Jack." 

Jack smiled and put his hand on her cheek and brushed the tear that had tickled down away with his thumb, "Come one lets go let every one know you are singing there tonight." Jack took her hand again and squeezed it lightly. The two of them walked down towards Tibby's.


	2. Is This the End?

Gem and Jack walked down the street towards Tibby's. Gem turned around still holding Jack's hand in a friendly manner, "Jack did I ever tell you what a wonderful friend you are and how much I loved you?"

            Jack was a bit taken back by her saying she loved him, "You've never told me you loved me before." He said to her.

            "Well I do." Gem turned back around and walked next to him now. 

            "You do?" Jack asked swallowing hard. He had hoped that she did and it wasn't just him liking her. Jack could feel his heart beat faster. He stopped them where so the others at Tibby's wouldn't interrupt them or make comments.

            Gem stopped and looked at Jack, "Well, yeah," She felt her cheeks grow warm and looked at the ground. Gem watched the feet of the people who passed them. It was her turn to be nervous now, "When I close my eyes and picture my future I see you right there next to me." When Jack didn't say anything she looked up at him.

            "Really, cause when I do the same I see you right next to me also." Jack smiled. Gem relaxed a bit and smiled back. They stood there for a few seconds just looking at each other.

Then Gem jumped onto Jack's back, "On wards to Tibby's." She said to him hugging him slightly. Jack laughed and wrapped his arms around her legs. Tonight would be the night he would ask her to be his girl. He began to plan out everything.

            The two of them reached Tibby's and Gem slid off Jack's back, "About time!" Race called to them waving them over. Jack nodded a slight hello to Race and then motioned he would be over in a minute.

            Gem walked over to where Race was sitting. Blink and Mush were also there, "How are my three musketeers?" She asked standing at the end of the table with a huge grin plastered across her face.

            "We're good." Mush said to her looking up and over at her, "What's with the grin?"

            "You guys are never going to be able to guess this and you won't believe it!" Gem couldn't smile any more then she was.

            Blink looked at her, "Jack asked you to marry him?" He joked.

Gem didn't wait for them to make any more guesses. She knew most would be jokes and what not, "No, I am going to sing at Carnegie Hall tonight! And all of you are invited!!!"

"Hey that's great." They all said, "We can't wait to hear you sing." Every one in the lodging house mostly knew that Gem wanted to be a big time singer.

"Oh…" Gem frowned a little. Not at them wanting to hear her sing, "I don't have a dress. I can't wear this." She looked down at her clothes and pulled at the legs of her pants.

"I bet ya Medda will have something you can borrow." Blink suggested.

"Yeah, if you want Blink and I will go with you." Race said, "There's a girl there that Blink's gotta thing for and he said she has a friend."

Gem laughed and nodded, "Alright you two can come with me." Gem finally sat down next to Blink. They began to talk about tonight. They stopped when Jack walked over with a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Gem asked him. Race stood up and got another chair for the table. He didn't like the look Jack had.

"I just heard that The Bombers are gonna give us trouble." He said to them sitting down in the chair Race had gotten, "They are headed to Manhattan so I want you all to be careful." Jack warned them and looked over at Gem. He rested his eyes on her for a few moments. She smiled softly at him.

"Don't worry Jack. You're a good leader and everything will work out." Gem said putting a hand lightly on his lower arm. Jack nodded, most of the time Gem was right when she said everything would work out.

The five of them ordered lunch and talked about other things to keep Jack's mind off of the Bombers. As soon as they finished Gem decided that she should head over to Medda's. Jack told Gem, Blink, and Race to be careful he was going to go find every one else to warn them about The Bombers and tell them that they were invited to hear Gem sing tonight.

Race, Blink, and Gem walked through central park taking the short cut across, "So what are you gonna sing?" Blink asked.

"I am not sure yet." Gem pulled at the corner of her purple shirt.

"How about that one you're always singing at the Lodging house?" Race suggested, "That one's real pretty."

"Yeah, maybe that one." She smiled slightly, "Guys I am really nervous. What if I mess up?" 

"Then we'll be sittin there cheering for you any ways." Blink assured her. Race took her hand from her shirt and squeezed it lightly then let it go.

"You'll do fine." He said with one of his famous grins.

"You're right. I shouldn't be nervous I have sung in front of people before."  '_Only it wasn't Carnegie Hall_ ' She thought to herself.

Soon the three reached Medda's and went in. Gem explained to Medda what she was going to do, "Ah come with me my dear I have the perfect dress for you." She said to her. Medda led Gem off to get the dress. Race and Blink went to go talk to some of the other girls who were there getting ready for the nights work.

A few moments later Gem appeared on stage wearing a beautiful white lace dress. It accented all the right places tastefully. The dress was trimmed with the palest pink ribbon. The dress just barely touched the ground. Gem's long black hair was pulled on top of her head and curls cascaded down around her face. Her make up had been done just right. Race and Blink both stopped what they were doing and looked up at Gem, "Wow…" Race said and couldn't get any other words out.

Blink smirked, "You look really beautiful Gem. Real professional."

Gem smiled a full smile at them, "Thank you guys."

"So how about a little preview of tonight's performance?" Blink asked. He nudged Race with his elbow lightly to get him to stop staring.

"Alright." Gem said to them. She started the song softly and the melody floated through the theater filling the air. Towards the middle it grew stronger. Every one who was there had stopped to listen. Gem was at the crescendo of her song when there was a loud blast. It was over powering and no other noise could be heard. The whole place began to shake. There was a second and third explosion and before any one knew it the whole place began to come down around them. Gem let out an ear piercing scream and then a few moments later all fell silent.


	3. Dreams Die

Race and Blink searched for Gem. They had a hard time finding her with all the smoke and dust. A small fire had started. A few of the girls who hadn't been hurt went over to help Medda out of the building. Race saw a few of the other girls not moving. His heart sunk, "We've gotta find Gem." Race was panicked he didn't know how Jack would take it, "Gem?!" Race called out some more debris fell from the vibration of his voice against the walls.

Blink pushed things aside. He saw Gem's hand. She had been trapped under a beam, "Over here Race!" He exclaimed. Race rushed over and the two began to pull the stuff off of her. 

The bells of the fire wagons rang through the empty city blocks and the sounds of whistles sounded. People where pushed back away from the building as the firemen rushed in to help the trapped and put out the fire. With the help of a few men, Race and Blink were able to get Gem out. They rushed her out the street where there was a doctor. He began to check her over. Blink and Race suggested they move her to the lodging house. The doctor called a wagon and they did so. He carried her up to the bunkroom placing her gently down on to her bunk. He turned to every one and made them leave. Race and Blink were out in the hall left to answer questions, "Blink go get Jack." Mush suggested. Blink nodded and ran out of the lodging house.

He dashed down the street and found Jack, "JACK!" He screamed bloody murder.

Jack turned to him, "What happened?" He asked. Jack had a bad feeling that something had happened to Gem. He could normally feel when something was wrong with her. 

"There was an explosion at Medda's and Gem was there…and she was trapped." Blink tried to explain the best he could, but his thoughts raced through his head and he couldn't straighten them out.

All the blood form Jack's face drained and he turned and ran as fast as he could to the lodging house. Jack pushed into people not caring he had to get back there to Gem. He ran into the lodging house up the stairs, "Where is she?" He asked.

"In there with the doctor." Mush was brave enough to answer him. Jack went to go into the door, but a few of the guys stopped him. They figured it wasn't good for him to see her right now. Jack gave up trying to get past them and paced the hall. The other sat and watched him. No one seemed to know what to say. Every time they thought of something it wasn't right to say or they weren't sure how Jack would react.

About an hour later the doctor called Race in to tell him what was happening with Gem. He figured it would be better for every one to hear it from a friend and not him. Race nodded and the doctor left. Every one slowly returned to the bunkroom.

Jack walked into the bunkroom and saw Gem lying there in her bunk. Bandages wrapped around her chest and ribs, "The doctor said there was a lot of internal bleeding an' they ain't shoah how much longer she's got."

Jack nodded and slowly walked over to her. He knelt down next to her bunk. She looked just like an angel to him. Jack lightly brushed a piece of long black hair out of her face. Gem stirred and opened her eyes. She saw Jack there and a small smile danced across her lips like a field full of daisies, "Jack..." She said softly.

Jack watched her he tried to hold the tears back by biting his lip, but it wasn't working. Gem reached up and placed her hand lightly on his cheek, "Please don't cry Jack.... we'll always be together..." Jack took her hand from his cheek cupping it in both of his hands and kissed it lightly. 

"I am so sorry Gem...." Jack looked down at her. Why did it have to be her? He almost wished it was him laying there not her, but then he would never wish this pain he felt on her. Why couldn't it of been some one he didn't care about?  Jack held onto her hand tightly. He rubbed the back of it with his thumb. He didn't know how to say good-bye…. he didn't want to say good-bye to her.

            "It's not your fault Jack." Her voice wavered a bit. Gem's eye glossed over with tears. Her hand shook slightly in his and tightened her own grip on Jack's hand.

            Jack couldn't hold his tears back any longer they stung at the back of his eyes and pushed even harder, "Gem, I…I love you." He could barely choke out the words.

            "I love you too Jack." She whispered to him. Her body was growing weaker. Gem's heartbeat began to slow as well. Jack watched her breathing grow unsteady and could tell she was in pain. He brushed her hair back out of her face, which was still in curls, "I'm sorry I couldn't sing for you tonight."

            "It's alright." Jack said to her as he wiped his eyes. Jack brushed away her tears. He rested his eyes upon her watching her closely. 

            "I can sing for you now…. If you would like?" Gem said to him softly. 

            Jack nodded and could tell she wanted to sing for him, "Alright…." Every one in the bunkroom who was already silent grew even quieter. Gem started to sing Jack's favorite song. She started the song as strong as she could. Gem closed her eyes so Jack couldn't see the pain and sadness in them. Slowly it died down and at the last note Gem drew her last breath holding the note. 

            Jack watched her chest as her breathing became even shallower then before. He felt her grip relaxed on his hand. Her hand slowly began to slip from his. Jack kissed it lightly holding it for a few more minutes. Then he gently laid it down next to her, "You'll always be in my heart, Gem."

            Jack stood up and turned from her. He wiped his eyes with his sleeves trying not to cry in front of the guys. Race walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, "It's okay." He whispered to him. Jack nodded and the tears streamed down his cheeks. Blink and Mush walked over putting their arms around him. They all knew how much Gem met to Jack. He had bragged about his plan to hear her sing tonight to every one and how he was going to ask her to be his girl.

            "She never got to live her dream." Jack pulled from the guys and walked out of the lodging house. He couldn't be there any more. He walked down the street towards there spot. He looked up at the sky through the tears in his eyes. 

The pale blue sky began to wash over with brilliant pink and oranges. The stars gradually began to awaken from their daylong nap. The city was unusually peaceful for this time of day. Something happened that day which would change many lives forever and affect some momentarily, but every one would remember this day for the rest of their lives. The tragedy had been so great it caused some to lose their lives, but the ones who were affected the most were the newsies.


End file.
